Two Treasures

"Pass down the order—the entire clan must prepare to welcome the arrival of the senior."

With Qin Lan's command, the crowd responded in unison, their expressions solemn.

Seeing their earnest demeanor, Qin Lan's face revealed a trace of satisfaction.

But soon after, he sighed with a hint of melancholy.

"What troubles you, Ancestor?"

Beside him, Island Master Qin Yi noticed Qin Lan's mood and couldn't help but ask.

"What I fear is... after a hundred thousand years, will this senior still remember that there is a Qin family here, devoted to serving him?" Qin Lan lamented. "Because this soul lantern didn’t just light up recently—it’s been glowing for some time now."

"Yet this senior has sent no word, nor has he sought out our Qin family..."

As he spoke, the disappointment on Qin Lan’s face became unmistakable.

As the only one who had lived through that era, he understood better than anyone the immense debt the Qin family owed to that senior.

"Ancestor, there’s no need to worry. Perhaps the senior is occupied with matters and will come to us once he’s free," Qin Yi reassured him.

"I hope so."

Qin Lan sighed. "Whether the senior comes or not, our Qin family must be ready to receive him."

"Understood."

Qin Yi nodded solemnly.

"Additionally, dispatch the rest of the Qin family to investigate the senior’s whereabouts."

"If we find that he has forgotten us, remind him—the Qin family of Heaven’s Domain’s Celestial Earth Island remains his loyal servants, ready to serve him at any time!"

Qin Lan spoke with grave emphasis.

"Agreed!"

Qin Yi nodded, then turned his gaze to Qin Nan and Qin Zhiyu behind him.

"Zhiyu, Nan’er, this task is entrusted to you."

"We obey."

Qin Nan and Qin Zhiyu, the two most outstanding talents of the younger generation, knelt and acknowledged the order.

"As for the reception arrangements on the island, leave them entirely to me." Qin Yi’s face brimmed with confidence as he rolled up his sleeves. "All these years, I’ve been honored by the clan to serve as Island Master."

"Now, it’s time for me to prove my worth."

With that, he knelt and swore an oath: "Ancestor, and all members of the Qin family—rest assured, I will immediately select the most skilled chefs from our clan to form a kitchen brigade, with myself as the head chef."

"I am confident that my brigade will excel in every culinary art—from the rarest delicacies to the humblest grains, from frying and boiling to grilling and hotpot, from cold dishes to pickling—all will be executed flawlessly to satisfy that senior!"

"If the senior is dissatisfied when the time comes, I, Qin Yi, will offer my head in apology."

"Good, good, good!"

Three consecutive "goods" conveyed Qin Lan’s deep approval.

He stepped forward, helping Qin Yi up with both hands, and praised, "Yi’er, I wasn’t wrong to support you as Island Master back then."

"I now officially appoint you as the head chef in charge of receiving the senior."

"Thank you for your trust, Ancestor."

Qin Yi’s excitement was palpable. "In that case, Ancestor, I shall take my leave now to begin preparations."

"Wait, don’t rush."

Qin Lan stopped him.

"What further instructions do you have, Ancestor?" Qin Yi asked hastily.

"How can a head chef not have a proper ladle?" Qin Lan chuckled.

"Ancestor, you worry too much. Our Qin family’s ancestral teachings ensure that while some clansmen might lack a suitable weapon, none would ever be without a trusty ladle!" Qin Yi declared proudly.

Beside him, Qin Nan, Qin Zhiyu, and the others nodded in agreement.

Not just Qin Yi and the older generation—even the younger ones like them kept a ladle in their storage rings at all times.

"Not so, not so."

Qin Lan shook his head mysteriously. "Wait a moment."

He then twisted the storage ring on his finger and retrieved another storage ring from within it.

Inside this second ring were two wooden chests, crafted from the exceedingly rare Tianxue wood.

"What is this?"

Qin Yi’s eyes narrowed in curiosity.

The others also fixed their gazes on the chests.

Qin Lan smiled enigmatically before turning a solemn look toward the chests.

First, he conjured water with his formidable cultivation, washing his hands meticulously, then dried them with a pristine white cloth until not a drop remained.

Only then did he place his hands on one of the chests.

After taking a deep breath, Qin Lan solemnly opened it.

Instantly, all eyes were drawn to its contents.

Inside lay an iron ladle.

Yes, an iron one.

Yet despite its material, everyone present could sense its extraordinary nature.

Faint light shimmered along its surface. Though it appeared unremarkable at first glance, its proportions and design were exquisitely balanced.

Most strikingly, the moment the ladle appeared, every weapon in the room trembled—as if in fear.

This was no small matter. As the foremost power in Heaven’s Domain, and with these individuals being its highest-ranking members, their weapons were all divine artifacts of unparalleled quality.

Yet even these legendary arms cowered before the ladle.

"What... is this?"

Qin Yi stared at Qin Lan in awe, his voice filled with disbelief.

Behind him, Qin Nan and Qin Zhiyu were equally transfixed.

"Wait, there’s more."

Qin Lan grinned mysteriously and retrieved a kitchen knife from the second chest.

The moment the knife appeared, the heavens and earth seemed to shift.

The very air in the stone chamber grew heavy, pressing down on everyone present.

If their weapons had "tucked their tails" before the ladle, now they outright "played dead" before the knife.

"Amazing!"

"What a terrifying blade!"

"Who would have thought our Celestial Earth Island possessed such divine weapons!"

The crowd exclaimed in unison.

"Now you see!"

Qin Lan declared excitedly. "These two treasures were personally gifted to my father by that senior, back when he cooked for him."

"And with these divine tools—my father wielded the ladle to attain enlightenment and ascend to sainthood, and with this knife, he carved a path of glory through Heaven’s Domain!"

"Today, I pass these relics of the senior’s legacy on to you."

Hearing this, Qin Yi dropped to his knees, hands raised reverently. "Thank you, Ancestor."

"This ladle is yours. May you uphold the duty of head chef with honor."

Qin Lan solemnly placed the ladle into Qin Yi’s hands.